A really lovely mystery story with plenty of twists, turns and ghostly goings on!
After a cart accident puts her sister Cassandra out of action, young Jane Austen is sent to be Lady Cromwell's companion in the week leading up to her son's coming-of-age party. But an appearance from the legendary Abbey ghost, a family secret with dangerous implications, and a missing horse threaten to turn the party into a disaster - and Jane into a disgrace. Can Jane get to the bottom of this mystery in time to save her new friends, and avoid damaging her family's reputation in the process?
Ghosts, library fires and missing horses, this mystery story is full of action and intrigue that will keep readers turning the page. As soon as I was emailed about this novel I knew I had to read it!
Jane Austen Investigates introduces the setting of Regency England to a younger audience, from a child's eye view. Jane is on the fringes of the lavish parties and dinners, rather than a part of them, and her keen observations help readers to navigate a potentially unknown world - as well as pointing out its faults.
There are letters and fun word play throughout, which I think readers will really love too. There are hints of the writer Jane will become, without this story feeling like a parody of texts its target audience will be too young to have encountered.
Jane Austen Investigates would be a perfect spring read for MG mystery or historical fictions fans, offering an imaginative take on one of Britain's best loved writers. I'm already looking forward to book two!
I was provided with an advanced copy of Jane Austen Investigates for review.